


The Weather Outside is Frightful / But the Snow is so Delightful

by Leela



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-09
Updated: 2011-12-09
Packaged: 2017-10-27 02:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/290870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leela/pseuds/Leela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco can't stop watching the snowstorm.</p><p>Draco takes a walk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Weather Outside is Frightful / But the Snow is so Delightful

**Author's Note:**

  * For [batdina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/batdina/gifts), [sassy_cissa](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=sassy_cissa).



> The Weather Outside is Frightful was written for sassy_cissa who wanted something to cheer her up and requested Charlie/Draco, with a prompt of snowstorm.
> 
> But the Snow is so Delightful was written for the partner chick, batdina, who asked for the walk in the snow that didn't happen in the first story.

**The Weather Outside is Frightful**

"It's still snowing," Draco said, clutching the blanket around him as he peered though the curtains. "Much more of this, and the drifts will be up to our windows."

"And we care exactly why?" Stretching lazily, Charlie scratched his belly and sent his komodo dragon tattoo scurrying for his left thigh. "Come back to bed and bring the blanket with you."

"You can't possibly be cold," Draco scoffed, shooting meaningful glances at the roaring fire and the thick duvet piled at the bottom of the bed.

"Is this where I'm supposed to say something soppy?"

"Only if you want me to spend the next few hours hunting down the wizard who has you under _Imperius_."

Charlie laughed. "Rather have you back in bed. Much warmer that way."

"I suppose." Slipping between the curtains to cut out the dim light from the fire, Draco pulled the blanket tighter and watched the snowflakes. They were falling thick and fast, most of them clumped together, but a few separate and distinct.

"Draco?" The momentary flare of light as Charlie opened the curtains made Draco blink.

"Close them," he ordered. "I can't see outside."

"All right." Despite Draco's protests, Charlie pulled the blanket off and then rewrapped it around both of them.

"You're warm," Draco said. He leaned his back against Charlie's chest and drew Charlie's arms around him.

"You're not."

"I'm fine." When Charlie's only response was to tighten his embrace, Draco smiled. "I really am fine."

"Then why are you here, by the window where it's cold, watching the snow, instead of curling up in bed with me?"

Draco shut his eyes and sighed. Instead of pressing him for an answer, Charlie just continued to hold him close and to nuzzle the sensitive spot behind Draco's ear.

After a minute or two of silence, Draco said, "I love snow. I always have. And snowstorms are amazing things. The whole world becomes different, no longer ordinary, a place that's out of time. And, just for a little while, everything's new again and anything's possible."

He cringed and wished he hadn't said anything, or had said something different, more profound. That hadn't really come out the way he'd intended. Somehow the words sounded different, less... he wasn't even sure what, when spoken aloud.

Then Charlie smiled against Draco's ear, and Draco relaxed.

"The moon's bright tonight," Charlie said. "And it's far enough from the full moon that it's safe outside. We could go for a walk."

"In the snow? At night?" Draco turned around in Charlie's arms. "Are you mad? It's freezing outside."

"You..." Charlie shook his head and placed a hand on either side of Draco's jaw. "If I'm mad, it's because you drove me there."

His kiss was gentle. Too gentle. Nothing more than a brush of lips. Raising his arms, Draco slid his fingers into Charlie's hair and parted his lips.

They sank to the floor, kissing, sliding against each other.

And outside, the snow fell.

~*~

 **But the Snow is so Delightful**

The morning brought blue skies, brilliant sunshine, and a pristine white landscape. Fortified with coffee and porridge with lashings of golden syrup, Draco gave Charlie one last admiring look — the man really did do _sleeping sprawl_ very well — and went outside.

Draco paused just outside the front door, closed his eyes, and stretched. He breathed in deeply. The crisp, cold air made his lungs ache and froze the tiny hairs in his nostrils. It was brilliant. And it smelled of snow, of promises yet to be spoken never mind fulfilled.

Opening his eyes, he blinked against the glare and then closed them again. After three more attempts and three taps of his wand to darken his sunglasses, Draco was able to keep his eyes open. He looked around and admired the blue skies, brilliant sunshine, and all of those wonderful, pristine snowdrifts that were just waiting for his imprint.

He jumped into the snow. His feet sank down the ankle. Not too bad at all. He started walking. Slowly, deliberately, enjoying the sounds of each of his steps.

When he was far enough away from the cottage, he stopped, scooped up a double handful of snow, and flung it into the air. It fell to the ground in a soft flurry, and he laughed.

The clapping from behind him made him spin around. Charlie stood in the open door. Bareheaded and barehanded, his only concession to the cold weather was his coat — unfastened, of course — and Draco's old green and silver scarf wrapped around his neck.

"What're you doing over there?" Draco asked. "The snow's out here."

As he'd expected, Charlie joined him in a couple of strides. Hiding his smile in a quick kiss, Draco pressed his hands to the back of Charlie's neck and waited. The tiny ball he'd been holding melted, dripping cold water down Charlie's back, and Charlie yelped.

"That means war," Charlie said, shaking his head, sending snow flying before bending down to create his own snowball.

Draco ducked the first, ran from the second, and only managed to avoid the third by losing his balance and falling on his arse in a snowdrift. Before he could scramble to his feet, Charlie was on him. They rolled, laughing, kissing, and dumping snow on each other.

Finally, Draco called a halt. He lay on his back, arm stretched out so he could grip Charlie's coat. The cold and wet were soaking through his scarf, and seeping into his boots and gloves. He shivered.

"If you're cold, we can go inside and warm up?"

"No," Draco said, sitting up and digging in a pocket for his wand. "Warming and drying charms, and then I want the walk you promised me last night."

In a minute or two, they were both warmer and dryer, and Draco had done up Charlie's coat, claiming that just looking at it unfastened made him cold. Then, holding hands, leaving parallel trails of deep footprints across the white expanse, they set off.


End file.
